1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of greeting cards. More specifically, the present invention discloses a system for creating a database of available greeting card designs that then can be manufactured through on-site printing units.
2. Statement of the Problem
Greeting cards or social expression cards have traditionally been manufactured in large quantities by various manufacturers at locations remote from the point of purchase or retail outlet. Social expression cards include greeting cards, invitations, announcements, and the like and are referred to herein as "greeting cards" or "social expression" cards. After manufacture, the cards are shipped, either directly or through wholesale distributors, to a variety of retail outlets, such as specialty card shops, drug stores, grocery stores, and the like where they are displayed and sold to retail customers.
One of the most significant problems associated with the remote manufacture of greeting cards is the very large amount of inventory needed at the point of sale, and the space required to properly display the inventory of greeting cards. For example, most greeting cards are displayed on card racks that group the cards into a number of categories, or fields, to assist a customer in locating the type of card desired. Typically, a large display rack is needed to expose a sufficient portion of the face of each card to allow easy scanning by the customer of the various cards available in a particular category or field.
A number of systems have been invented in the past to provide on-site manufacture or customization of social expression cards and the like, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor Pat. No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Cannon 5,056,029 Oct. 8, 1991 Buckley, et al. 5,036,472 July 30, 1991 Montagna, et al. 4,899,292 Feb. 6, 1990 Powell, et al. 4,873,643 Oct. 10, 1989 Brown 4,817,043 Mar. 28, 1989 Ciarlo 3,949,375 Apr. 6, 1976 ______________________________________
"CreataCard" system introduced by Custom Expressions, Inc., Glendale, Calif., in May, 1990.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,029 was previously issued to one of the present inventors less than one year prior to the filing date of this application. This patent discloses a system for manufacturing and vending social expression cards that queries the customer to input a series of special occasion parameters to select a card from a database of available card designs.
The "CreataCard" system was introduced by Custom Expressions, Inc. in May, 1990. This system is an on-site unit that guides customers through a series of card selections on a touch-sensitive display screen. After choosing the desired style of card, the customer enters information to personalize the card, such as names, dates, ages, messages, etc. It is believed that the card information is stored in vector graphic format since the card is drawn line-by-line using an eight-color pen plotter.
Buckley, et al., disclose a computer controlled machine for vending personalized greeting cards and the like. The unit provides audio and video presentations of the products and options available to the customer. Base products such as pre-printed forms are stored within the unit for transfer by a robotic arm to a printer for customization.
Brown discloses an information kiosk with a video display that provides instructions and information to users. The user enters choices on a keypad input device. The kiosk can also provide textual or graphic printed information.
Powell, et al., disclose an interactive design terminal for custom imprinted articles, such as T-shirts and the like. A memory stores a library of available design elements and a set of design rules for combination of the design elements in accordance with selections made by the operator.
Ciarlo discloses a computer system for readily dispensing information, such as information on travel, entertainment, accommodations and the like.
Montagna, et al., disclose a system for storing and retrieving text and associated graphics. Graphic images are stored in compressed digital format. Graphic images can be tied into specific points in a menu structure as shown in FIG. 3.
There are also a number of commercially available software programs that allow personal computer systems to print greeting cards. For example, "Card Shop" by Artsci, Inc. allows Macintosh computer users to select from a menu of fifty greeting cards covering a variety of occasions. "Greeting Card Maker" by Artivision, Inc. allows Apple computer users to print cards, invitations, and announcements. Also, "The Print Shop" by Broderbund, Inc. allows IBM-PC users to create and print greeting cards.
In addition to these references, a wide variety desktop publishing software, e.g. Aldus Pagemaker and QuarkXPress, has long been commercially available for conventional personal computers. Desktop publishing systems allow a trained user to create virtually any type of custom publications, primarily such as newsletters and brochures. However, it is possible to create custom greeting cards, invitations, business cards and the like using a desktop publishing system.
3. Solution to the Problem
None of the prior art references uncovered in the search show a system for printing social expression cards in which card images are stored as a set of display images in a format to facilitate rapid display on a color monitor, and as a corresponding set of print images in a format to rapidly produce high resolution printed cards. In addition, the system includes a card description database that defines each card in terms of its component images, text, and fields for personalization.